Okay, Shari Lynn. You asked for it.
I’m not as skinny as I used to be, ‘cause I like food. But, I do try to stay within my healthy weight range. Which gives me about a good 20 pounds of leeway.
I am far, far from perfect. And, I can eat my weight of eighty pounds more than one-hundred pounds in chocolate.
But, most days, I am generally mindful of what foods enter my mouth. Most days. I do believe that our weight is eighty-percent of our diet. I don’t say that to discount exercise. Exercise is good for the body, mind and soul. I try to get in a decent work-out four days a week. I used to push for six days. Hence, the “I’m not as skinny as I used to be.” Since John Henry started Kindergarten, I’m finding that I have to make myself go to the gym. ‘Cause nothing beats sitting on the sofa in my PJs eating a box of Cheez-its.
Here are a few things I do day-to-day to maintain a healthy-ish weight:
1) I never, EVER skip breakfast. You’ve heard it said a gazillion times. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. I believe it. Not only does it get the brain and body functioning efficiently, but it also jump-starts the metabolism. When you skip this necessary meal, you teach your body to store fat. Our bodies are smart. It will store fat and subsequently slow down the metabolism, because it knows it will be a while before it gets more nutrition. This is no problem for me. I wake up starvin’ Marvin. EAT BREAKFAST. Mmkay?
2) I drink water. A lot of it. Not as much as my momma drinks. She is about outlandish with her H2O consumption. But, I usually always choose water, even over diet sodas. And, it’s good for your complexion. Remember, sometimes when you think are hungry, you might just be dehydrated. Drink up. Water, that is. My new favorite water beverage is Smart Water. It’s pricey. But, I love the way the bottle feels in my hand. And, I have this secret hope that it will make me look like Jennifer Aniston.
3) I don’t deny myself foods I love. I just don’t over-indulge. All things in moderation – except chips and queso. No such thing as moderation there.
4) I exercise. You don’t’ have to sweat until you pass out. Just move the body. And, the older we get, the more important strength training becomes. So, they tell me. I do a lot of floor exercises and don’t use a lot of weight. For my upper body, I do push-ups. The real kind. No wimpy girl-stuff here. My lower body presently needs my attention. Suggestions? Please, don’t say squats. Puh-leese don’t.
I have good food choice days and bad. I don’t let guilt consume me for making a poor choice. There is always tomorrow, according to Scarlett O’Hara.
Okay. Your turn. What do you do to stay healthy? Christie Arnold, I’m sure you can add to this one – you healthy, personal trainer you.
Oh, and my friend, Kim Heinecke, loves the Magic Bullet. I have no idea what it does, but she is skinny. Must be the magic?
Have a good weekend, and go easy on the wings.
DustyTakle.com 
looks like you have it covered, however…DR. OZ’s book YOU on a diet is a great book for tips and lifestyle changes. it doesnt JUST MAKE you diet. recommends fiber for bfast. holds you over til lunch. FIBER ONE flakes are great. eat 12 almonds or 6 walnuts 20 minutes before mealtime to signal your hypothalamus your body is satiated. i’m smart. hee hee 🙂 have a warm bowl of soup before main dish, gives you a full feeling. limit food options for bfast and lunch. eat the same things. the more options the more you eat. VARY your dinner. last but not least. MONITOR your sugar intake…average woman NOT dieting should intake around 50 grams of sugar a day give or take a few. i was waaaay over. see ya in the gym 🙂
UMMMMMM….I START MY DAY……..LOLLLLLLLLLLL
Great tips, Shari Lynn. Gotta love the Oz man.
Um, “I love the way the bottle feels in my hand.” I apologize for that one. It sounds so not like Jesus. Hmmm.
The other day, I saw Kris drinking of my Smart Waters and I yelled, “Those are expensive!” He responded, “Oh, expensive for me but not for you?” I have inner voice problems. Truth is, the are too expensive for him ’cause no doubt, he will not appreciate how the bottle feels in his hand.
I am so impressed with Shari. She used to call me her smart friend, and all this time she has been hiding her smartness. You go Shari! Unfortunately, I have to confess I am a sugar-holic. My name is Ken and I am a sugar-holic. At least I have the motivation starting in October to get in shape for ski season.
Hmmmmm….my secret is nursing a baby, which I just finished a couple of months ago. All my babies are bigguns – like 9 pounders. And they aren’t skinny babies as they grow (thankfully they thin out when they learn to walk!) So listen, it takes a loooooot of my personal calories to get a 10 month old pushing 25 pounds and still refusing to be mobile. I’ll beef up once my little dude starts walking… bummer.
As for that magic bullet, I make baby food and malts (for me.) Not the skinny kind of malts – Blue Bell ice cream, Hereshey bar bits, whole milk and a dash of chocolate. Just thinking about it brings a tear to my eye…
Ken, only men would start a diet in the Fall for ski season of all things. I can see swim suit season is unique to women alone. And, I’m proud of you for your confession. That took courage.
Kim, I just don’t believe you. If that’s true, I’m quitting the gym.
I have chocolate chips cookies and milk before bed each night. I once heard that you should avoid the “white” foods…sugar, salt, flour etc. But, Shari told me that those cookies are brown, so I’m OK. That Shari IS so smart!
Kim’s full of it….she is just naturally skinny. Don’t let her give you the “I’m nursing a kid” bit. I am too, STILL and I’ve put back on 6 pounds. GERR. And GERR Kim Heinecke. (Not really, I hear her.)
HEART her, not hear her. silly me
I have a treadmill!!!!…also one of those thingys that count your steps…i wore it all day one day…boy was that disappointing…i don’t think it can count!
Shelley, you are skinny, too. I don’t believe you either 🙂
Natalie, the Lord loves skinny people, too.
Judy, please reveal the results of your step counter. Puh-leese.
OMG! I needed this pep talk! I am trying to lose, found out I was diebetic this month. So, am doing the splenda, which is not as bad as I always thought it was! lol, I too was a sugar-holic, learned it early in life, lol….I am trying to drink water alot, but just in the last 2 days, ha, but the scales are showing it is helping? wow! Miracles! On the road to recovery! Great blog!
I’ve been pregnant the last two years. This summer was the first summer in 3 years I wasn’t pregnant… yay! Doing L.A. Weight Loss, watching what I eat, cut out my nightly hostess chocolate donuts and glass of skim milk ): and run around like a chicken with my head cut off chasing my kids. Probably not the best plan but it is slowly working. I keep telling myself it took me two years to gain the weight, I won’t lose it overnight. Patience is not one of my better virtues…
I will leave you with Natalie’s and Kim’s favorite comment of mine…
I am on 2 diets because I don’t get enough to eat on my first one
Let me just say that i did NOT reach the reccomended 10,000 steps a day….
can i just say that i know my mother and i seriously doubt she wrote her little bit without the book right there in her lap as reference. JUST SAYIN.
here is my trick…. blame my lack of will power (say i get it from my momma), and go to dr. cooper’s office STAT.
I like what Steve Arterburn says about this. He talks about being on the South Pole diet vs. the South Beach. With the South Pole diet, all you have to do is avoid food that looks like snow. Processed sugar, potatoes, white bread etc.
I try not to eat after 7:30 at night.
Key word: TRY.